Letters

Dear CAM,

I am very interested in the new OS 4.0, Will I be able to put it on a "Powerbook" or some other Apple computer. I have quite a few "classic" Amiga's. I want to try to put it on a CD32/SX32 pro that I have at home. I have lots of plans but everything keeps changing. What happened to the OS being written by the "TAO" group? Lots of questions, I'm sorry!

Thanks for the help,
David

Dear David,

AmigaOS4.0 is designed to run on Amiga certified PPC products. Initially this covers A3/4000s that are equipped with CyberStorm PPC (CSPPC) accelerator boards as well as the brand new AmigaOne computers being manufactured by Eyetech Ltd. We have had a few enquiries concerning other suitably specified hardware products but nothing has yet been concluded.

As for running on the Apple range of computers, this is something that we will be looking at once we have AmigaOS4.0 shipping on both the CSPPC and AmigaOne products. They are legal as well as engineering issues to be considered when doing any work with another platform.

I take it from question about the Tao-Group that you are talking about the AmigaDE (DigitalEnvironment). The AmigaDE is a set of technologies built upon the Tao-Group's Intent system from which we can make products, which provide what we call a Total Content Solution. The first of these products is Amiga Anywhere(TM) which has already been released to a limited market on PocketPC PDA devices and which is soon to be launched properly.

Our original plan was to use the AmigaDE as a replacement for the AmigaOS but after working with it for a year, we decided to use it instead for a separate product line and resurrect development of the AmigaOS. In the last few months the impetus for this has become more important to us and the future of the AmigaOS, as you can read in this issue of CAM will be a bright one indeed.

Hi,

I would like to give some feedback about the purposed marketing strategy. Being an Amiga user since 1989, I had the opportunity to live the glory of Amiga and also see its decay. Unfortunately, marketing, I believe, was one of problems that made Amiga loss its position. It would be important to learn from the past in order to no repeat the same mistakes. The focus of the marketing campaign should be creating demand for the product. The Amiga has the advantage of having at least a loyal community, where normal unknown products usually have no support at all. Of course thinking in supply the product just to a narrow community shouldn't be the target of Amiga Inc. But Amiga Inc could increase Amiga's existence in the market through this community.

I think an important issue should be considered to bring back those people who in the past had contributed to the Amiga and had left a mark. I'm talking not only people dedicated to program software, but those who created Amiga icons and music as well. This is no an easy task and could be risky, but it is important to remember that no risk no win.

Probably the idea of being a computer user out of the common, where the user has the control of what its doing, and not just a 'lemming' following order from the screen about what to do. The Amiga taught me how computer works and probably that is the main reason I have experienced frustrating attempts to shift to different platforms.

I believe there is an opportunity for Amiga to fit in, but is going to be hard. I wish you guys the best of luck.

Thanks for the opportunity to give this feedback.

Sincerely,
Amiguero

Dear Amiguero,

The Amiga community is indeed a potent marketing and evangelistic resource. We are already working closely with quite a number of people in the community - journalists, artists etc., and as we move forward towards the launch of AmigaOS4.0 this will intensify.

There is nothing better for the platform than proud Amigans showing off their new systems to other computer users, talking about them on internet web sites and bulletin boards and in general creating a loud and happy noise about the fact that there is an alternative to Windows.

There is a great deal of love for the Amiga in the computing world. Many who are now successful within the PC industry fondly remember the Amiga and I often hear the phrase "We didn't leave the Amiga, it left us". Our job is not just to get the community turned on to the new hardware and operating system releases coming up but also to get those who did move away from the Amiga to come back. From an emotional direction, this won't be that difficult but from a business direction it will be. Business people are hard headed and want to see at the very least a sustainable and at best a profitable market which rewards their efforts in porting to and/or developing for a new platform. This requires us at a minimum to provide them with an amazing computer platform, and we believe we will have this with the AmigaOne and AmigaOS4.0. The next issue is to grow the platform, encouraging more and more users to turn to the Amiga platform.

Thanks for the good wishes. There is definitely a place for a platform like the Amiga and once we can start selling AmigaOS4.0, the good news will spread.

Thanks for taking the time to write.

Wrap up

Well constant Amigans, that's all for this time. See you in May!